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NEWS
Bridgestone backs 2013 World Solar Challenge
Japanese tyre brand puts weight behind this year's Darwin-Adelaide fuel-free festivalBridgestone has been announced as the title sponsor of the World Solar Challenge 2013 – the 12th running of the event since 1987 – to be held from Darwin to Adelaide over October 6-13.
A record 45 teams from 26 countries will contest the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2013, a 3000km cross-continent contest restricted to solar-powered vehicles.
As we reported in May, this year’s solar challenge will include three separate classes for the first time: the ‘Adventure Class’ for pre-2013 event cars, the ‘Cruiser Class’ for vehicles designed for practicality and the elite ‘Challenger Class’, which compete for line honours with the fastest overall time.
All entries will once again combat one of the world’s harshest environments, including temperatures of well over 40 degrees C and the possibility of bushfires, which caused a temporary halt in proceedings in 2011.
“Bridgestone has a global commitment to continually working toward a sustainable society and the Bridgestone World Solar Car Challenge 2013 is a natural extension of this as it encourages and promotes investment and innovation in solar technology,” said Andrew Moffatt, Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand Managing Director (pictured on the right).
“It’s also a good fit because of the tremendous interest Australian motorists are now taking in technology that can lower the impact of their vehicle on the environment.
“This is reflected in the success of our Ecopia low-rolling resistance range of tyres which are continuing to grow in popularity with Australian drivers because of their fuel saving and environmental benefits,” Moffatt said.
Once again, the biannual solar vehicle endurance event is expected to attract entries from industry and educational institutions worldwide, including universities, high schools and technical colleges.
One of the top Australian outfits will be the University of New South Wales’s Sunswift team, which pulled the wraps off its ‘eVe’ competitor earlier this month.
The UNSW team’s new car, in which a 16kWh sun-powered battery pack feeds a pair of 10kW hub motors on the rear wheels, is capable of 140km/h, but the 300kg eVe is expected to run at cruising speeds of 100-110km/h between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.
In March, the University of Western Sydney and Lenovo announced another World Solar Challenge contender dubbed ‘Solace’, in a deal valued at more than $10,000.
Constructed from carbon-fibre and capable of speeds of up to 150km/h, Solace measures 4.5 metres long and 1.6 metres wide and is powered by an in-wheel electric motor developed by the CSIRO in collaboration with other institutions.
General Motors’ ‘Sunraycer’ claimed honours in the inaugural World Solar Challenge in 1987, while 2011 saw Japanese entries dominate, with Tokai University’s ‘Tokai Challenger’ claiming its second win following victory in the Challenge class in 2009.
Picture shows Chief Executive of the South Australian Motor Sports Board Mark Warren (left) and Andrew Moffatt
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